Friction, capacitance and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in dry atopic and normal skin

Abstract

The biophysical properties of non-eczematous skin at three locations in atopics and non-atopics were characterized using non-invasive physical methods. Skin friction was measured with a newly developed sliding friction instrument, the degree of hydration with a capacitance meter (Corneometer CM 820), and the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was determined using an Evaporimeter EP1. The areas examined (dorsum of the hand, volar forearm and lower back) showed lower values of friction and capacitance in the atopic patients than did corresponding sites in the normal controls. In most areas a significant correlation between friction and capacitance was found. The TEWL was increased in atopic skin, but TEWL seems to correlate neither to friction nor to capacitance.

Oral Intake of Glucosylceramide Improves Relatively Higher Level of Transepidermal Water Loss in Mice and Healthy Human Subjects

“…Decrease of barrier function is associated with diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD), [1][2][3][4] which is characterized by skin dryness and intense itching. Impairment of skin barrier function may also be caused by sudden change of the weather 5,6) or contact with chemical agents such as cleansers.…”

Barefoot-Pedestrian Tribometry: In Vivo Method of Measurement of Available Friction between the Human Heel and the Walkway

“…Loden et al 5) studied in vivo skin-friction differences between normal and atopic (allergy-related dermatitis) skin with respect to friction and other parameters. Asserin et al 6) describes the development of an in vivo skin tribometer using a ruby indenter, 3 mm diameter, loaded using light weights, and designed to test the volar forearm.…”

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Soft Tissues during Selected Pathological Processes

“…In this tissue, lamellar body are placed in the higher layers than in healthy one. A similar situation occurs in the case of psoriasis, where increased amount of parakeratotic corneocytes [18] and loss intraepidermal water is observed [21]. The fundamental problem in ichthyosis is drastically decreased levels of the endogenous β-glucocerebrosidase enzyme, responsible for the ceramides hydrolysis.…”